1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for powered loading and unloading of a heavy load-carrying module onto a transport vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In prior art arrangements, one frequently encounters the utilization of a load carrying module together with a transport vehicle which is under the discipline of a guidance system. In such systems the module is loaded onto the vehicle and then unloaded at a preselected destination, the now empty vehicle proceeding to a new rendezvous for further assignments.
In the past, physically speaking, the loading and unloading of the module from the vehicle was a relatively arduous task. For example, a loaded module with a gross weight of up to 1,000 pounds had to be pushed to the back of the transport vehicle by means of a ramp on the vehicle with cooperating skids on the module, the whole being then locked in place by a mechanical latching arrangement of some sort. Since the module was heavy, the operating personnel would frequently resort to a running start to gain momentum to push the module up the ramp. This technique for loading obviously, at best, produced a fortuitous mating of vehicle and module. The unloading operation, while devoid of the problems of alignment, nevertheless was physically demanding, particularly of female personnel. When the mechanical latch was unfastened, the module had to be dislodged by brute force without any mechanical advantage.
The prior art arrangement described had a deleterious effect on overall operations. Obviously, either physically strong personnel were required or, alternatively, the module had to be loaded to less than full capacity. The improvised running-start technique and the fortuitous results which it afforded abused the equipment well beyond normal wear and tear. The heavily-loaded module, however successfully loaded, gave rise to still further improvisation: at the destination station the loaded module was left on the vehicle until, by normal consumption of the contents, the gross weight was reduced to a manageable size.
The instant invention provides a powered system for loading a module onto a vehicle in which loading and unloading can be accomplished expeditiously with very little physical effort on the part of the operatives.